With Singapore due to get its very own Porsche Experience Centre in 2027, we visit one that has been in operation since 2008, PEC
Porsche Experience Centre Silverstone, UK - Nobody ever wonders what the Porsche brand is about, much less to the extent the powers-that-be decide a massive rebranding effort is necessary.
Far more than mere status symbols, when you mention Porsche, only one thing is conjured up in each petrolhead’s mind – precision driving instruments.
Folks are ‘woke’ to the driving thrills offered by Porsche without the brand ever having to demonstrate how ‘woke’ it is, and this is the sort of brand equity you can’t just create overnight by throwing money at an agency.
As you can imagine, driving is central to a large number of activities organised by Porsche.
See also: Singapore to get its own Porsche Experience Centre in 2027
From breakfast drives to off-road excursions and race-track experiences, there’ll be something that caters to your pace of driving.
There’s also the Porsche World Road Show, a roving fleet of the latest demo-cars that “visits” countries without a Porsche Experience Centre (or PEC for short) for prospects and owners to sample in a dynamic, closed-circuit environment.
See also: Read our drive review of the 992.2 C2 GTS Coupe
And then we come to the Porsche Experience Centres themselves, which serve as meccas to Porschephiles, conduits through which Porsche devotees can commune with the brand and its cars in their quest for enlightenment.
At present, there are nine in the world, with a tenth, PEC Toronto due to open soon and the eleventh, PEC Singapore in 2027.
The key-word in PEC is “experience”, and this is an element we’ve already witnessed with the experiential retail concept that is the Porsche Studio Singapore. Porsche has levelled-up from selling cars to selling experiences, which can then be savoured through the medium of its ever-growing range of cars.
From road-going track-cars to compact SUVs and all-electric sports sedans, there’s bound to be something in the brand’s repertoire to suit your different needs. Thus it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that some enthusiasts might own more than one Porsche at any given time.
After all, when a niche brand starts offering variety, it can keep all the owners within the fold – bonus points if all the different models are infused with enough mojo to keep drivers entertained and engaged in familiar Porsche fashion.
For more lifestyle, arts and fashion trends, click here for Options Section
Porsche cottoned-on to this evolving zeitgeist many decades ago when it introduced the world to its ‘starter’ sportscar the Boxster and then the Cayenne SUV (or crossover, in today’s trending vernacular) – much to the ire of the 911 owners we should add. Since then, the full roster now includes many iterations of the Cayman, Taycan, Macan, Panamera and of course, the iconic and evergreen 911.
Sure, the various Porsche models might wear very different body-types, but their engaging dynamics is a common thread that binds them together. Successive model evolutions have seen a new barrage of electronic safety and chassis systems to result in not just tighter handling characteristics, but also sees the enhancement of safety for the occupants if/when things go awry.
For instance, a 1980s G-model 911 Turbo will behave very differently from a 992 Turbo S, with the latter featuring a whole host of electronic measures to help keep you out of the hedgerow.
The first step to becoming a better driver is to acknowledge you need to become a better driver. Better doesn’t just mean faster, but also safer, and in a position to take advantage of all the car’s electronic systems.
In the UK, Porsche cars are sold with a driving experience package and we hope it will be no different for Singapore when our PEC opens. The driving courses aren’t just for owners, but prospects are free to enroll in them too, because the best place to push the handling envelope of a sportscar is in a controlled environment.
The PEC Silverstone driver development facility is located in the heart of the legendary British race-circuit, but the driving lessons are conducted on its own tracks. It offers a full-on immersive experience complete with merchandise, multiple briefing and meeting rooms, an expansive restaurant, as well as a rotation of cool models on display.
A fleet of parked 911 GT models greet us like sentries as we enter the carpark in front of the Centre, which makes for a picture-perfect snap-shot for us petrolheads.
This author has been enrolled for a 90-minute driving course (we're not going to say "crash course", because that's exactly what the instruction is helping to avoid!) with one-on-one instruction from Robert Colbourn, a seasoned instructor who boasts several decades worth of experience.
Other Porsche models are available, as are different durations, with car choices that span 911 GT3 RS to Cayenne, and everything else in-between.
I figured the 992.1 GTS would be a nice reference drive to complement my 992.2 GTS T-Hybrid drive from some months ago (Click HERE to read our review). The 992.2 GTS has a raw aggression and a massive punch to its performance, but the 992.1 feels lighter, agile and eminently more nimble as we put it through its paces.
After checking-in at the reception, we enter the open atrium – which lets Porsche showcase a rotation of selected models – before heading upstairs to the restaurant. The last time we visited during the launch-drive of the 992 RS at the Silverstone Circuit, all the generations of the RS were on display.
This time around, there’s an eclectic mix comprising Boxster Spyder RS, 550 Spyder, 911 Turbo S, G-model Turbo and electric Macan.
I’m to be fed before going out on-track and instead of opting for the RS-esque, lightweight fruit compote, I decide on the full English breakfast, so that’s going to be an interesting 90mins of fast driving then! The F&B menus for breakfast and the post-drive lunch are pretty extensive, with food and service quality in the restaurant suitably high.
PEC Silverstone has two separate handling circuits, within which are nested smaller low friction areas for specific car-control exercises. The handling circuits are designed to mirror the British B-roads, complete with tight to sweeping corners and even the odd roundabout!
We’re given a quick FAQ in one of the facility’s many meeting rooms before Robert susses us out when we slide into the GTS. This helps him determine what I’m trying to achieve with the session, as well as highlight any weak points I might want him to work on – ya’know, proper instructor stuff.
I’m pretty keen on low friction exercises, so that’ll be the focus for the day, but not before a few warm-up laps around the circuit to show I’m not a complete buffoon behind the wheel (no I’m not!).
Rob quietly watches and assesses your driving before dissecting it. A few quick pointers and we’re already driving more smoothly and speedier than before with just some tweaks to our driving style. It’s all very collaborative, so you never feel communication is only delivered one-way.
People mistakenly think that being an instructor is all about showboating and smoky drifts, but the reality is a lot more prosaic. Possessing the ability to drive fast and precisely is just a part of the equation. More importantly, one also requires a certain temperament and forbearance to impart those skills effectively to a student, and we find that this is what truly differentiates a stellar instructor like Rob.
The different 'control' stations around the circuit allow the participants to work on specific exercises, be it hard or threshold braking, acceleration, slippy surface car control and so on, before you tie them all together on the dynamic circuit.
The low friction exercises mimic a sudden loss in grip and how to initiate a recovery, with the stability control in all its different modes.
This gives you a huge appreciation for the 911’s electronic systems and how to react in order to make the most with it on, as well as fully-off.
A lot of these exercises are about cultivating one’s muscle memory, so you don’t flounder and your instincts will kick-in during an emergency to steer you out of trouble. After all, the car can only do so much, the rest is up to the driver.
When we returned to tackle the dynamic circuit, it was very heartening to see that with Rob's tips and tricks on sight, steering and strategically shedding speed, I'd managed to string the entire track together smoothly, swiftly and safely by the end of the session.
And all it took was 90mins! Imagine how much I could have learnt on a full-day experience.
As cars become faster and drivers more furious, it’s probably a good thing that Porsche is one of the pioneer brands in offering an accessible and intensive driver development programme, and we certainly can't wait for the Singapore centre to come online.
